Studies of Molecular Interactions with Single Nanoparticles: Combining in Situ Plasmonic Nanospectroscopy with Transmission Electron Microscopy

The cyclic methanol and hydrogen economies are two viable options in the strive for clean energy production. Industrial methanol synthesis is conducted over copper (Cu)-based catalysts. However, Cu is prone to oxidation, which leads to Cu catalyst deactivation. This highlights the need to probe catalyst performance and deactivation during relevant conditions, and why methods for operando catalyst monitoring are sought after. Moreover, individual catalyst particle-specific characteristics, such as grain boundaries, are likely to affect deactivation. Secondly, in view of the expanding hydrogen economy, efficient and reliable hydrogen sensors are required. To this end, the slowing response rate of palladium (Pd)-based hydrogen sensors over extended hydrogen sorption cycling is problematic. To enable studies of single particle-specific performance deterioration routes, I have in this thesis developed a correlative plasmonic nanospectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy approach for in situ studies of interactions between individual nanoparticles and molecules in the gas phase. As my main focus, I have applied the method to shed light on Cu nanoparticle oxidation, both in pure O2 and under CO oxidation reaction conditions. As a main result, I identified a distinct dependence of Cu oxidation on single particle-specific structural characteristics, such as grain boundaries. Furthermore, with in situ TEM imaging temperature-dependent competing oxidation mechanisms were observed and their corresponding single particle plasmonic signatures were mapped by electron energy-loss spectroscopy.As a second example, in hydrogen sorption cycling of polycrystalline Pd nanoparticles grain-growth was observed that slowed down sorption kinetics, whereby an explanation for the deterioration of Pd-based hydrogen sensors was identified

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) intercropping : how does the intercropping effect arthropods?

Vi odlar på ett ohållbart sätt i Europa idag, genom storskalig odling av monokulturer och en ökad användning av insekticider för att hantera problem med skadegörare. Samodling kan omvända de negativa effekterna genom att erbjuda en ökad biodiversitet. Studien undersöker åkerbönans Vicia faba L. samodlingseffekter på insekter genom en litteratursökning av vetenskapligt material. För att få en helhetsbild över hur samodling med åkerböna görs undersöks även vilka de vanligaste samodlingsgrödorna är och vilka effekter samodlingen ger i allmänhet. Resultatet visade att samodling med baljväxter kan förbättra omgivningen för andra grödor, genom kvävefixering, förbättrad bördighet och ökad biologisk mångfald. Samodling med åkerböna ger en komplex påverkan på insekter vilket var en av grunderna till att utföra litteraturstudien. Samodling med åkerböna gav i de flesta fallen positiva effekter genom att minska förekomsten av skadegörare vid odling med oljeväxterna raps och rybs, spannmålsgrödorna vete och korn, samt honungsfacelia. Samodling med åkerböna gav varierande effekter vid odling med havre där hälften av fallen gav en minskning och hälften gav en ökning av skadegörare. Både när samodlingen minskade eller ökade förekomsten av skadegörare så varierade förekomsten av naturliga fiender i samodlingen. Antalet naturliga fiender ökade, undersöktes ej eller så gav samodlingen inte någon skillnad jämfört med i monokulturen. Det visades även att samodling med åkerböna attraherar specialiserade pollinatörer. Det är svårt att dra slutsatser om åkerbönans samodlingseffekter på insekter utifrån studiens skiftande resultat. Samodling med baljväxter ger många fördelar som kan förbättra omgivningen för andra grödor, genom kvävefixering, förbättrad bördighet och ett minskat behov av gödselmedel. Samodling bidrar med en ökad biologisk mångfald och kan attrahera naturliga fiender och pollinatörer, samt bidra med ekosystemtjänster. Samodling med baljväxter har en möjlig potential att användas som naturlig växtskyddsinsats mot insektsskadegörare. Fördelarna med samodling kombinerat med fördelarna att integrera baljväxter i ett odlingssystem tyder på att åkerbönan har potential att kunna bidra med liknande positiva effekter.We are farming in an unsustainable way in agriculture in Europe today, through large-scale monocultures and an increased use of insecticides to deal with insect pest problems. Intercropping can reverse the negative effects by offering an increased biodiversity. This study investigates the effects of intercropping with faba bean Vicia faba L. on arthropods through a literature search of scientific material. To get an overall picture of how intercropping with faba bean is done, it is also investigated what the most common intercropped crops are and what effects the intercropping gives in general. The result showed that intercropping with legumes can improve the environment for other crops, through nitrogen fixation, improved fertility, and increased biodiversity. Intercropping with faba beans has shown a complex effect on many levels related to insects. In most cases, intercropping with faba beans gave positive effects by reducing the occurrence of pests when cultivated with rapeseed and field mustard, the cereal crops wheat and barley, and with lacy phacelia. Intercropping with faba beans produced varying effects when intercropped with oats, where half of the cases resulted in a reduction and half results in av increase in pests. Both when intercropping decreased or increased the presence of pests, the presence of natural enemies in the intercropping varied. The number of natural enemies increased, was not investigated or the intercropping did not give any difference compared to the monoculture. It was also shown that intercropping with faba bean attracts specialist pollinators. It is difficult to draw conclusions about the effects on intercropping with faba bean on insects, based on the varied results of this study. Intercropping with legumes provides many benefits that can improve the environment for other crops, through nitrogen fixation, improved soil-fertility, and a reduced need for fertilizers. Intercropping contributes to an increased biodiversity and can attract natural enemies and pollinators and contribute with ecosystem services. Intercropping with legumes has a possible potential to be used as a natural plant protection method against insect pests. The advantages of intercropping, combined with the advantages of integrating legumes into a cropping system, suggests that the faba bean has potential to contribute with similar positive effects

Уметност, култура и музичко образование

Целта на трудот е да се поттикнат пошироки размислувања со кои ќе се дефинираат причините за слабостите на музичкото образование. Имплементацијата на реформите во образовниот систем во Р. Македонија претставува реален ризик за згаснување на овој предмет кој тесно е поврзан со уметноста и културата

RANCANG BANGUN MULTIMEDIA PEMBELAJARAN BERBASIS GAME ADVENTURE MENGGUNAKAN METODE PROBLEM SOLVING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PEMAHAMAN SISWA PADA MATERI JARINGAN KOMPUTER

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk merancang-bangun multimedia pembelajaran berbasis game adventure menggunakan metode problem solving pada materi jaringan komputer, mengetahui peningkatan hasil belajar siswa terhadap mata pelajaran jaringan dasar yang dalam pelaksanaannya menerapkan multimedia pembelajaran berbasis game adventure menggunakan metode problem solving, dan mengetahui signifikan besarnya peningkatan hasil belajar siswa setelah menerapkan multimedia pembelajaran berbasis game adventure. Tahapan pengembangan multimedia pembelajaran ini terdiri dari tahap analisis, desain, pengembangan, implementasi, dan tahap penilaian. Multimedia pembelajaran yang telah dikembangkan kemudian diimplementasikan di SMK BPI Bandung dan data yang diolah diperoleh dari tes yang dilakukan oleh siswa setelah menggunakan multimedia pembelajaran. Sementara untuk data penilaian terhadap multimedia menggunakan kuesioner yang dirancang berdasarkan Learning Object Review Instrument (LORI) version 1.5 yang ditujukan kepada ahli materi dan ahli media, juga siswa sebagai pengguna aplikasi multimedia tersebut. Dari penelitian ini didapatkan bahwa (1) penilaian multimedia oleh ahli media terhadap multimedia pembelajaran berbasis game adventure menggunakan metode problem solving sebesar 89,57%, termasuk ke dalam kategori sangat baik, penilaian multimedia oleh ahli materi sebesar 85%, termasuk ke dalam kategori sangat baik, dan penilaian pengguna terhadap multimedia sebesar 97,69% termasuk ke dalam kategori sangat baik; (2) multimedia dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa dilihat dari adanya peningkatan signifikan nilai dengan hasil th (8,81) > tt (2,42), gain sebesar 0,61 yang termasuk kedalam kategori sedang, dan tanggapan siswa terhadap multimedia sebesar 97,74% termasuk ke dalam kategori sangat baik.;--- This research aims to design Multimedia Learning adventure game based uses a problem solving method for materials computer networking, to know improving student learning outcomes of the course base networking that is in the implementation implement multimedia learning adventure game based uses a problem solving method. Moreover, it is to know how significant size the improving of student learning outcomes after applying the multimedia learning adventure game based. Multimedia development stages of this learning phase consists of the analysis, design, development, implementation and assessment phase. Multimedia learning that has been developed and then implemented in SMK BPI Bandung and the processed data obtained from tests performed by the students after using multimedia learning. As for the assessment data of multimedia used the questionnaire that was designed based on the Learning Object Review Instrument (LORI) version 1.5, which is addressed to subject matter experts and media experts, as well as the students as the multimedia application users. From this study, it was found that (1) the assessment of multimedia by media experts to multimedia learning adventure game based uses a problem solving method at 89.57%, included into the excellent category, multimedia votes by subject matter experts of 85%, including into the excellent category, and assessment of users to multimedia by 97,69% included into excellent category; (2) multimedia can improve student learning significant outcomes if it had been seen from any increase in value with a th (8,81) > tt (2,42), gain of 0.61 included into medium category, and reaction of students to multimedia by 97,74% included into excellent category

The Suits in Admiralty Act and the Implied Discretionary Function

Addressing increasing global environmental problems requires greater resource efficiency, and one way of working towards this is through industrial symbiosis. Industrial symbiosis means that companies collaborate through sharing of resources for collective benefits. The documented benefits of working with industrial symbiosis indicate that there is potential for companies to operate commercially with facilitation of industrial symbiosis. An interesting company to study within this context is Econova. Econova operates within the recycling and gardening industry and has been identified as a possible catalyst for industrial symbiosis. The aim of this study is to investigate how Econova can develop business opportunities through facilitation of industrial symbiosis at a regional level. A literature review was conducted with the aim of identifying important factors for facilitation of industrial symbiosis and previous research on industrial symbiosis from a business perspective. The literature shows that there are a number of barriers and success factors for facilitation of industrial symbiosis and that their character changes over time. Furthermore, eight types of key actors involved in the facilitation of industrial symbiosis were identified: champions, coordinators, physical and institutional anchor tenants, brokers, orchestrators, decomposers and scavengers. These key actors have different approaches for facilitation of industrial symbiosis and address different barriers and success factors. The literature review also shows that the research field of industrial symbiosis is relatively unexplored from a business perspective. Moreover, a review of facilitators in terms of companies involved in facilitation of industrial symbiosis operating in Europe was conducted with the aim of identifying approaches for facilitation of industrial symbiosis in practice. The review was conducted through inquiries to experts in the research field and resulted in the identification of six types of facilitators: knowledge companies, network coordinators, park coordinators, recycling companies, infrastructure companies and processing companies. These facilitators have different approaches for facilitation and act partly preparatory, partly supplying. The review further shows that there are no facilitators that combine a preparatory and supplying approach for facilitation of industrial ecosystems at a regional level. Furthermore, Econova’s current approach for facilitation was reviewed in an interview study with employees of the company. The result shows that Econova currently has a primarily supplying approach for facilitation which is concentrated on specific energy and material flows. The result further shows that Econova can be categorized as a recycling company, a broker, a scavenger and a decomposer and that the company has some features similar to the approaches for facilitation of knowledge companies and champions. Based on the literature review and the review of facilitators, a recommended approach for facilitation in the form of a business model was developed regarding how facilitators can develop business opportunities through facilitation of industrial symbiosis at a regional level. The recommended approach for facilitation combines a preparatory and supplying approach for facilitation. The prerequisites for the recommended approach for facilitation were then evaluated partly through an application of parts of the recommended approach for facilitation in a region, partly through an interview study in the region with stakeholders from the identified customer segments. The result of the study shows that it is possible to conduct the proposed activities of the recommended approach for facilitation with limited costs and that the value propositions of the recommended approach for facilitation address the needs of stakeholders and that there is an interest for the value propositions. The recommended approach for facilitation thus has the potential of being a tool for developing business opportunities through facilitation of industrial symbiosis at a regional level. However, it was only possible to conduct a limited evaluation of the prerequisites within the boundaries of this study and further evaluation is necessary to investigate the possibilities of implementing the value propositions in practice. Finally, Econova already has the prerequisites to implement parts of the recommended approach for facilitation. However, to enable application of all parts of the recommended approach for facilitation, Econova needs to expand its approach for facilitation either through additional key resources or additional key partnerships. With such a development Econova has the potential of contributing to greater resource efficiency at a regional level and the ability to help meet the growing global environmental problems.För att bemöta de ökande globala miljöproblemen krävs ökad resurseffektivitet och ett sätt att arbeta för detta är genom industriell symbios. Industriell symbios innebär att företag samarbetar genom utbyte av resurser för kollektiva nyttor. De dokumenterade fördelarna med att arbeta med industriell symbios indikerar att det finns potential för företag att arbeta kommersiellt med facilitering av industriell symbios. Ett intressant företag att studera inom denna kontext är Econova som är ett företag som bedriver verksamhet inom återvinnings- och trädgårdsbranschen och som tidigare har identifierats som en möjlig katalysator för industriell symbios. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur Econova kan utveckla affärer genom facilitering av industriell symbios på regional nivå. En litteraturstudie genomfördes med syfte att kartlägga viktiga faktorer vid facilitering av industriell symbios samt tidigare forskning kring industriell symbios ur ett affärsperspektiv. Litteraturstudien visar att det finns ett flertal hinder och framgångsfaktorer för facilitering av industriell symbios och att deras karaktär förändras över tid. Vidare identifierades åtta typer av nyckelaktörer som arbetar med facilitering av industriell symbios; eldsjälar, koordinatorer, fysiska och institutionella ankare, mäklare, dirigenter, destruenter och nekrofager. Nyckelaktörerna har olika faciliteringsansatser och adresserar olika hinder och framgångsfaktorer. Litteraturstudien visar vidare att forskningsområdet industriell symbios är relativt outforskat ur ett affärsperspektiv. Vidare genomfördes en kartläggning av facilitatorer i form av företag som arbetar med facilitering av industriell symbios och är verksamma i Europa med syfte att utreda hur facilitering av industriell symbios sker i praktiken. Kartläggningen genomfördes genom förfrågningar till experter inom forskningsområdet och resulterade i identifiering av sex typer av facilitatorer; kunskapsföretag, nätverkskoordinatorer, parkkoordinatorer, återvinningsföretag, infrastrukturföretag och processindustriföretag. Facilitatorerna har olika faciliteringsansatser och verkar dels beredande, dels levererande. Kartläggningen visar vidare att det saknas facilitatorer som kombinerar en beredande och levererande faciliteringsansats för facilitering av industriella ekosystem på regional nivå. Vidare genomfördes en kartläggning av Econovas nuvarande faciliteringsansats i form av en intervjustudie med anställda på företaget. Resultatet visar att Econova i dagsläget främst har en levererande faciliteringsansats som är koncentrerad till vissa energi- och materialflöden. Resultatet visar vidare att Econova kan kategoriseras som ett återvinningsföretag, en mäklare, en nekrofag och en destruent samt att företaget har vissa drag som påminner om kunskapsföretags respektive eldsjälars faciliteringsansatser. Utifrån litteraturstudien och kartläggningen av facilitatorer utvecklades en rekommenderad faciliteringsansats i form av en affärsmodell för hur facilitatorer kan utveckla affärer genom facilitering av industriell symbios på regional nivå. Den rekommenderade faciliteringsansatsen kombinerar en beredande och levererande faciliteringsansats. Förutsättningarna för den rekommenderade faciliteringsansatsen undersöktes därefter dels genom tillämpning av delar av den rekommenderade faciliteringsansatsen i en region, dels genom en intervjustudie i den aktuella regionen med intressenter ur de identifierade kundsegmenten. Resultatet från undersökningen visar att det är möjligt att genomföra de föreslagna aktiviteterna i den rekommenderade faciliteringsansatsen till en begränsad kostnad samt att den rekommenderade faciliteringsansatsens erbjudanden svarar mot respondenternas behov och att det finns ett intresse för erbjudandena. Den rekommenderade faciliteringsansatsen har därmed potential att vara ett verktyg för att utveckla affärer genom facilitering av industriell symbios på regional nivå. Dock var endast en begränsad undersökning av förutsättningarna möjlig att genomföra inom ramen för denna studie och det krävs en vidare undersökning av förutsättningarna för att utreda möjligheterna till realisering av erbjudandena i praktiken. Avslutningsvis har Econova redan i dagsläget förutsättningar för att tillämpa delar av den rekommenderade faciliteringsansatsen. För att möjliggöra tillämpning av samtliga delar behöver dock Econova utöka sin faciliteringsansats genom antingen kompletterande nyckelresurser eller nyckelpartnerskap. Med en sådan utveckling har Econova potential att bidra till ökad resurseffektivitet på regional nivå och att bidra till att bemöta de ökande globala miljöproblemen

Realizing strong light-matter interactions between single nanoparticle plasmons and molecular excitons at ambient conditions

Realizing strong light-matter interactions between individual 2-level systems and resonating cavities in atomic and solid state systems opens up possibilities to study optical nonlinearities on a single photon level, which can be useful for future quantum information processing networks. However, these efforts have been hampered by the unfavorable experimental conditions, such as cryogenic temperatures and ultrahigh vacuum, required to study such systems and phenomena. Although several attempts to realize strong light-matter interactions at room-temperature using so-called plasmon resonances have been made, successful realizations on the single nanoparticle level are still lacking. Here, we demonstrate strong coupling between plasmons confined within a single silver nanoprism and excitons in molecular J-aggregates at ambient conditions. Our findings show that the deep subwavelength mode volumes, $V$, together with high quality factors, $Q$, associated with plasmons in the nanoprisms result in strong coupling figure-of-merit -- $Q/\sqrt{V}$ as high as $\sim6\times10^{3}$~$\mu$m$^{-3/2}$ -- a value comparable to state-of-art photonic crystal and microring resonator cavities, thereby suggesting that plasmonic nanocavities and specifically silver nanoprisms can be used for room-temperature quantum optics

Value creation form a gender perspective - a case study of Caran

Women ledaers and profitability, is there a correlation? Earlier research show different outcome on the correlation between women leaders and profitability. A Swedish consultant firm, Caran has a belief that more women leaders would create more financial profit, we ask us if that is the true situation. Using two different IC measurement methods we have shown the difficulties in calculate intagible resources, which methods that can/ can not be used and if women leders create financial value. We found the women leaders in Caran to add more value per dollar spent on the woman leaders than the value added per dollar spent on men leaders. This can be due to the wage difference between genders

Value creation from a gender perspective – a case study of Caran

Caran has a strong belief that women leaders affect the financial profitability positive. Since women leaders are intangible resources it is very difficult to calculate its exact value. The authors found that one of their measurement methods can’t be used to calculate the value of women leaders. The other measurement method can calculate significance between women and men leaders and provides an index to be compared to other groups. But there is no prove that women are better creating value than their men colleagues, the figures indicate that women add more value due to their lower wages

Medieval Iconography in the Digital Age: Creating a Database of the Cult of Saints in Medieval Sweden and Finland

This article describes Mapping Lived Religion, an ongoing research and digitization project based at Linnaeus University and in collaboration with the University of Gothenburg. The project members are building an open access, online database of objects and texts connected to the cults of saints in medieval Sweden and Finland. The database is connected to a digital map and includes a register of medieval places. As part of its work, the project has enabled the digitization and digital publication of the Iconographic Index, housed by the Swedish National Heritage Board. Additionally, the photographs from The World of Medieval Images have been re-digitized as high-resolution images in collaboration with the Swedish National History Museums. By the end of the project, the database will be a major research and educational resource for those working on and teaching this period. As an open access portal published in both Swedish and English, it will offer data on the cults of saints to anyone with an interest in the field in Sweden, Finland, and internationally